Just As Long As You Stand
by BtchesLoveCannons
Summary: A series of Noctis/Ignis one-shots as their relationship grows throughout the course of their journey. Prompts welcome! Some will be fluffy, others smutty, but all will contain spoiler and content warnings accordingly. Rated for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

The campsite was bathed in the silver light of the moon, and somewhere in the distance a chocobo called out. Noctis smiled. If Prompto was awake, he would be trying to run off and take a picture of it. He raised his hands to the fire but it did little to warm him. The dead of winter wasn't kind when you were this far from the nearest city. He stared into the flames, listening to Gladio snore from the tent, comforted by the sound that usually irritated him. It made for an odd melody with the calls of the beasts that inhabited the woods.

"You should rest, Highness."

He raised his blank stare from the fire and let his gaze refocus on the man next to him. "What are you still doing up?"

"I am always the last to bed and the first to rise, you're just too sound of a sleeper to ever notice."

"Bed is a strong word," Noctis huffed, glancing at the tent.

Ignis stoked the campfire. "Are you alright?"

"Don't worry about me so much."

Noctis drew his knees to his chest and hugged them for warmth. He looked at Ignis sideways through his fringe of hair, watching the orange glow of the flames dance across his advisor's face. He was no more than a foot from Ignis and noticed, not for the first time, the way he seemed to radiate heat. Maybe it was because he spent so much time cooking that he had just absorbed some over the years. Noctis chuckled at his own absurd logic, eyes once again slipping out of focus and turning Ignis into a blurry figure of dark clothes and fair skin.

He didn't pay any mind to the form moving until something heavy came to rest on his shoulders. He pulled it around himself instinctively, before he recognized the scent of cinnamon and leather. "Take your jacket back, Specs."

"I won't have the prince getting sick," Ignis said, his arms now also basked in the firelight where they were exposed by his rolled up, leopard printed sleeves.

"That doesn't mean I want you getting sick, either," he mumbled as he turned his face into the leather lapel of the jacket.

Ignis leaned back on his hands and stretched his legs out so his shoes stopped just before the base of the fire. "You've never questioned me putting your well being before my own before." His words were not pointed but Noctis still stiffened.

"I'm sorry. I treated you like crap for the longest time, and look at you, still here tending to my every need."

Ignis furrowed his brow and reached over to put a hand on Noctis' shoulder. "You're behaving oddly, Noct. Of course I'm here. Where else would I be?"

Not in danger, Noctis thought, but he held his tongue and dropped his head onto Ignis' hand. "I guess I'm just tired."

"Go to the tent and rest, then. We have a long walk ahead of us tomorrow."

"It's too cold to sleep."

Ignis sighed. His glove was rough against Noct's face, but his fingers were toasty from being over the fire as he kept it burning. Noctis started to drift off but he jolted awake every time he began tipping sideways toward the ground. He knew they should have stayed in Hammerhead while there was still daylight. For some reason he thought back to before they begun their journey, to his days of living alone. He tried to fit the Ignis of those days into the man sitting next to him. Some things were the same. Ignis was still his rock, a steadfast and unwavering presence. And Noctis would still never say that out loud. He had resented Ignis for pushing him the way he did at first but he had long since accepted that he wouldn't be the man he was without his advisor.

The ground moved again but Noctis was wide awake, too invested in his train of thought to doze again. He started as he was engulfed by warmth. The hand on his shoulder had moved down to pull him sideways, and he found he was unsure what to do with himself as he was pulled against Ignis. His desire to stop shivering won out and he let himself lean on the other man. His weight did not affect Ignis in the least, reminding Noct that his advisor was as much a literal rock as a figurative one. It was easy to forget what was hidden under those clothes. There likely wasn't an ounce more of fat on Ignis than there was Gladio.

"Better?" Ignis asked.

Noctis nodded, absently drawing shapes through the animal print with his fingers. "Yeah. Thanks, Iggy."

He couldn't have said when he fell asleep, only that some time later, he awoke to strong arms lifting him like he was no more than a child. He tried to ask if it was time to get up already but the words were lost in the broad expanse of Ignis' chest. A moment later there was the hiss of a zipper and he was cocooned in his sleeping back. The warmth surrounding him vanished, and he stretched his hand out with a low whine. His fingers closed around something he couldn't make out in the darkness.

The figure next to him turned so much as he was able in the confined space of the tent and Noctis found that he was holding Ignis' belt loop. He gave it a persistent tug. "Now I'm cold again."

"I fear you may have poor circulation, Highness," Ignis remarked softly, careful not to wake the other two.

"Or maybe I'm cold because it's like two degrees outside." He felt Ignis' eyes on him and looked in the general direction he thought his advisor's face would be. "Stay?"

There was a hesitation in which Noctis feared he had made Ignis uncomfortable, but the silence ended with a subdued, "As you wish."

The sleeping bags were rearranged and Noct's human space heater returned to his side. He wasn't sure he had entirely woken up since he was carried into the tent, but in some half conscious state he wrapped himself around the taller man's warm body.

He could tell from Ignis' breathing that he remained awake long after him. Noctis smiled, drifting off again. Of course Ignis would still be awake. He wouldn't dare let himself fall asleep before his charge because that's the kind of duty bound idiot he was. With that thought on his mind and a stupid grin on his face, Noctis quit shivering and finally, he slept.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Set after the scene where Noctis helps Ignis make breakfast. Just a bit of light fluff here but the good stuff is coming soon ;)**

* * *

"I'll never forget the smile on your face the first time I cooked for you."

"I barely remember what I ate yesterday. Well, whatever that first meal was, I'm sure it was pretty good."

xXxXx

It was before they left Lucis, before his father passed and even before his advisor's hair learned to defy gravity. Noctis chuckled as he thought to the days of Ignis' hair laying flat on his head and watching the man grow frustrated as he kept having to push away when a lock fell over his glasses. He folded his hands behind his head and laid on the cool grass. Maybe getting up at dawn to help cook breakfast wasn't bad, after all. He didn't have the resolve to make a habit of it but he couldn't say he regretted it. Seeing Specs in his element made him happy in a strange way. Maybe it reminded him of easier times, when his biggest concern was Ignis nagging him to clean up after himself.

He closed his eyes against the sun and slipped away into his memories.

It was the first time he had seen Ignis since he moved out on his own. He didn't know the other man was there until he took his shoes off and paused, senses not so much assaulted as caressed by the scent wafting out from the main room. He pulled his headphones down around his neck and went to investigate. Sizzling reached his ears without the barrier of his music.

Ignis stood facing away from him, humming to himself as he chopped vegetables. His hand moved too fast for Noctis to track it. He smirked and leaned against the counter, watching his so-called future advisor. It was the closest he'd come to seeing Ignis without that perpetual stick in his ass. He leaned over the counter to stare into the pan where butter popped and sizzled, awaiting the vegetables Ignis diced at lightning speed. Spices floated in the liquified yellow substance; the source of the heavenly smell, no doubt.

"I've never gotten hungry looking at butter before," he thought aloud.

Ignis looked over his shoulder. "His Highness informed me of your plan to subsist off cups of noodles and pre-packaged desserts. That won't do. Your diet needs balance and nutrition."

"Thanks, Momma Specs."

The small tic in Ignis' jaw was the only indication of his dislike for the nickname, but it made Noctis smirk nonetheless. He knew he hated to be called Specs. There also wasn't anything he could do about it since his sworn duty was to give Noctis whatever he wanted. Luckily for him, Noctis wanted a full stomach more than he wanted to tease his rigid companion. He loosened his tie and collapsed onto the couch to let Ignis work whatever black magic he had concocted to make vegetables actually look appealing.

He watched Ignis from the corner of his eye. It had been lonely in this place by himself and, while he didn't care much for Ignis' company, it was nice to have someone around. He pretended to nap while dinner was cooked but once he saw it hit the table he was on his feet before Ignis could say a word. Ignis raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.

"For future reference, I don't like greens," he said, sitting down.

Ignis sat across from him. "You won't have a future to reference if you continue to waste away on your exquisitely poor diet. Now, eat."

Noctis rolled his eyes but he complied without a fight. Greens or not, the mix of meat and vegetables on his plate looked delicious. He groaned happily at the first taste. The beef was succulent and he could think of nothing to compare its flavor to. He looked down at his plate with a sense of melancholy. At his age it was time for him to learn to live on his own, but the apartment felt empty. The only thing that ever awaited him were the drab walls and growing amount of clutter. Something about the meal, prepared by hand, made it feel more like home.

He peered at Ignis from under his lashes and tried to sound nonchalant when he asked, "Will you be cooking again tomorrow night?"

"If you would like."

Noctis nodded and didn't realize he was smiling until Ignis answered it with the slightest tilt of his own lips. He cleared his plate for the first time in awhile. Unlike when he microwaved a cup of ramen, he didn't still feel hungry after he was finished.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Ignis said with sincerity.

Relieved that his advisor hadn't discerned the true reason for his smile, he tucked back into his dinner with abandon. Ignis was cold and unfeeling but maybe it wouldn't be so bad having him around, if every night could be like this.

Noctis heard grass rustling and returned to the present. Whether it was memory or reality, his advisor had not gone far. He looked up at the man standing over him. Ignis had grown out of his awkward style and gangly appearance since then. Toned muscles bunched in his forearm as he put his hand on his hip and his shoulders pulled the material of his shirt a little tighter. The sun illuminated the unique sea green of his eyes and the dusting of freckles on his face, traits Noct had always noticed but never taken much time to appreciate.

"We should get on the road," Ignis said.

His rumbling voice warmed Noctis more effectively than the sun and he paused to wonder why these things had begun standing out to him. He had spent many of winter's coldest nights curled up against Ignis but that was no more than a self serving means to an end. He pushed those thoughts aside and raised his hand, wiggling his fingers in a silent request. Ignis chuckled and pulled him to his feet.

He braced his hand on Ignis' shoulder for support as he gained his footing on the grassy incline. He let go when his boots were firmly planted but he found he was quite close to Ignis. Even more of a surprise was that his advisor was already staring at him when he looked up. He blinked, both of them waiting for the other to move first.

"Hey, Ignis?"

"Yes, Noct?"

"Will you cook that stuff you made at the apartment for dinner tonight?"

Ignis tilted his head, making the sunlight reflect off his glasses. "I prepared many meals at your apartment."

"The first one."

Noctis flushed slightly when the cook in question didn't respond. It was a weird request to make this early in the day but he had the absurd notion that the meal would be a comfort, the way it was that first night. Nothing was going to make the road feel like home but he had learned to appreciate even the smallest reprieves from their harrowing journey.

"I didn't think you could recall what you ate yesterday," Ignis teased.

"Oh. Yeah, I guess I remembered." It caught him off guard, the playful smile on Ignis' face. He seldom saw anything take the place of that flat, worried frown that seemed permanently affixed to his handsome face.

Ignis put a hand on Noctis' shoulder and gave him a light pull in the direction they were supposed to be walking. "I don't have the exact same ingredients at my disposal, but I will endeavor my hardest to make you something similar."

Noctis nodded, half hearing the words and half wondering why his mind had supplied the word "handsome" in reference to Iggy's face. He sighed and picked up the pace to keep up with his friend's long legs. This trip must have been taking more of a toll on him than he realized. He was still pondering that when he was forced to an abrupt stop, colliding with Ignis' back.

"That's it!" Ignis cried, staring at a root he had just pulled out of the ground.

Noctis tried to regain his balance but he just went toppling forward in a manner wholly unbecoming of a prince. A vice grip locked on to his waist and he once more found himself too close to Ignis' face, with Ignis' arm wrapped securely around him. He blinked as Ignis held the root up between them with a look of pure delight.

"I've come up with a new recipe."


	3. Chapter 3

"This is ridiculous," Noctis moaned.

"It is a necessary evil, I'm afraid. What will your betrothed think if you are unable to dance with her at your wedding?"

Noctis huffed as they returned to the starting point and he tried again to follow Ignis' feet. When his father told him he would be learning to dance, this wasn't what he had anticipated. Piano music played from a vinyl record player in the otherwise empty room. That was wise, because Noctis was a fast learner at everything except this, apparently. He had lost count of how many times he'd stepped on his partner's feet.

"One, two, three, and back," Ignis said, clasping Noct's hand and moving them in a gradual turn.

Noctis felt the toe of his shoe knock against his advisor's and winced. "Sorry."

"You are only doing poorly because you don't think you can do this."

"I think we've determined that much. Can't you just dance with Luna for me?"

Ignis allowed them to take a break and released an exasperated sigh. He pushed his glasses up his nose, one half of his body colored by the sun setting on the other side of the glass wall, and Noctis realized how long they had been at this. The thought of his father's patient but disappointed face crept into his mind. How was it that he could fight with Gladio but dancing was beyond him?

He leaned back against the wall and tipped his head against the intricately printed wallpaper. Dancing shouldn't have been that different from fighting, it was all footwork and observing the other person to know which step to take. He kept equating it to that but it wasn't working. He ran his hands down his face, wondering how he was supposed to tell the King that he had failed a simple dance lesson.

Shoes clicked against the waxed floor and he dropped his hands. Ignis held out his hand, his face stern but somehow softer than it was before. "From the top. You can do this, Highness."

"Your feet must be killing you with the number I've done on them, what makes you think I can do this?" he asked, looking at the hand still being offered.

"His Majesty believes in you, therefore so do I."

Noctis had thought many times that his father's faith in him was unfounded so these words were of little reassurance, but he grasped Ignis' hand in spite of his doubts. Ignis was a pain but there was something about his confidence that made Noct's concerns seem silly and small. He took a deep breath and followed his advisor to the middle of the floor.

He closed his eyes. One, two, three, and back.

* * *

Noctis watched Prompto lose his third wrestling match of the night to Gladio. He wanted to laugh but the hollow feeling in his chest ran too deep. His father was gone and his friends were in constant danger. It felt selfish to smile, to find joy in a situation hurting so many others. He watched the dying embers of the fire. The nights had started to warm up which made it easier to sleep, and he was sure Ignis was glad to have his personal space back. Noctis had to admit a small part of him missed waking up in the middle of the night with Ignis' hair tickling the back of his neck and an arm across his waist. Even in sleep, his advisor laid in such a way that he acted as a shield. Then he was always gone by the time Noctis woke up.

Music reached his ears. He stood up and followed it to where Ignis sat in the car with the top down, parked in the clearing next to where they had built camp. Ignis was turning the dial on the radio but he stopped when he saw his charge approaching. Noctis propped his elbows on the door and looked down at him.

"Whatcha doing, Specs?"

"Just scanning for any relevant news. You?"

"I heard the noise and came over here, I needed to stretch my legs anyway. We had a quiet day which is nice but it left with me with too much energy."

Noctis stepped aside for Ignis to get out of the car. Music still played from inside. He looked up at the clear sky, thinking back to the night he went to see the stars with Ignis, back when their journey was a roadtrip between friends and not a constant fight for survival. Ignis closed the door and followed his gaze to the sky. For awhile they just leaned against the car admiring the stars, but Noctis soon grew restless.

"I need something to do," he complained.

Ignis stepped away from the car, but he hadn't been leaning on it. Noct snorted; of course he hadn't. It was bad posture and god forbid the great advisor have to lean on something. "The woods will be treacherous at this hour," he said, following his charge's longing look to the forest.

Noctis put a hand on his hip and turned to face him. "Got any suggestions, then?"

Ignis pulled his jacket straight, put one arm behind his back, and extended his other hand. "I seem to recall something that always tired you out."

"You aren't serious."

"I am."

Noctis looked between the taller man and his outstretched hand. The music was playing loudly enough from the Regalia to hear, the ground was smooth save for grass, it was as good a place to dance as any. But with Ignis? He probably looked like a moron as long as he spent staring at that hand. Of all the beastial asses he kicked on a daily basis and it was a single hand that made him apprehensive. He took it, slowly. He took a moment to marvel at how soft Ignis' hands were. They would be, though. They were protected by gloves when he drove and Noct knew he took good care of himself even with the limited resources he had. The weirdo probably had a recipe for moisturizer made out of behemoth testicles and black pepper or something.

"Do you remember?" Ignis asked, drawing him in.

Noctis put his hand on Ignis' shoulder. "Yeah, Iggy, as if you ever gave me time to forget."

His advisor laughed, a rare and lovely sound. He took a step forward and Noct took a step back. Their dance took them to the edge of camp but none of the expected teasing remarks came from their companions. Gladio was sprawled with his hands folded under his head and Prompto sat next to him, head bobbing from side to side in time with the music.

Noctis rotated his foot as Ignis spun him and felt a sense of peace he'd thought to be out of reach. These moments were rarer than precious stones. By some miracle of nature or maybe music, they had managed to forget the weight of their mission, if only for a short time. He fell out of proper stance and rested his forehead on Ignis. His advisor let him relax, and changed from concise steps to just shifting from one foot to the other. Noct sighed against Ignis' shirt. It spoke volumes for their situation that Ignis wasn't insisting on dancing "correctly."

"So darling, darling stand by me," Prompto sang softly.

He couldn't imagine having done this back at the palace, but things had changed since they left Lucis. They had been brought together in a way that he didn't think they would have been by any other circumstances. He looked up at Ignis. He wondered how long they would have spent as prince and advisor before he started realizing it. Oh, for the love of Shiva. Maybe it wasn't such a good thing their relationship had been made stronger during their journey. It might have been a blessing to never realize he was falling for Ignis.

Not that it mattered. Ignis was bound to him by duty alone.

He put his arms around Ignis' neck. The slightest hitch in his advisor's breath was the only indication that he was surprised by Noct's behavior, but he recovered himself and put his arms around Noctis' waist. They just rested there rather than embracing him, toeing the line of affection but never crossing it. Noctis looked over at his other two friends. Gladio was staring blankly at the fire, and Prompto seemed to be lost in some heavy thoughts of his own, unshed tears welling in his eyes as he sang.

"If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall, or the mountain should crumble to the sea..." His voice cracked and the tears spilled onto his freckled cheeks.

"Hey, Iggy?"

Iggy looked down at him, their faces close enough for Noct's heart to race. "Highness?"

"Do you ever worry that we're going to be broken, trying to reclaim our city?"

"Perhaps."

Noctis cursed himself and every one of the Six for his weakness. It was disgraceful to his father and to his throne, but he had also been told that sometimes admitting your fears takes more strength than hiding them. He unconsciously stroked the back of Iggy's neck, fingers threading through the strands of hair there. "What happens if we do?"

It was a rhetorical question. No one could possibly answer that, as it would mean defeat, but Ignis had a knack for the impossible. "Then I'll just put you back together."

Noct's throat closed. He held his tears back, but inside he screamed in frustration. He selfishly wished that he hadn't been born a prince. Everyone felt the need to serve him because of the blood in his veins rather than who he would be without it. He wondered if he would ever known a devotion such as Ignis' if he wasn't nobility.

I don't deserve you, he thought as they swayed back and forth. He didn't dare speak the words aloud. Ignis would deny it because that was his duty, and that would hurt more than anything.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: It's been awhile, I know. I just haven't been in the state of mind to write. But without further ado: Fluff. Mindless fluffity fluff.**

* * *

It was too warm to get away with curling up to Ignis at night. Noct missed the winter months. The headaches had been waking him in the middle of the night since last summer, but on those cold nights he had slept soundly until morning. He studied the angular lines of his advisor's face in the darkness. Ignis slept on his back with one hand on his chest, routine even in sleep. The only time he had broken this routine was when he would pull Noctis against his chest to keep the prince warm. Noct sighed. He wanted to believe Ignis missed it, too, but his advisor wasn't soft like he was. He dared to put a hand on Iggy's arm, left bare by the tank top he slept in, and traced the lines of the muscles pressed taut against his skin. He missed falling asleep in those arms.

It had to be an ungodly hour of the morning, as it always was when the visions awoke him to the feeling of his head splitting open. He a thump and looked over his shoulder. In the darkness it was hard to make out details, but he could tell from where pale skin met tan that Prompto had adhered himself to Gladio. There was a shock of blond hair fanned out on Gladio's shoulder, and the bigger man's hand seemed to have gone instinctively to the back of Prompto's head, keeping him close. Noct's stomach twisted. He averted his eyes from them again, trying not to envy their easy comfort with each other.

"You should sleep."

There was almost a Noctis shaped hole in the tent where he jumped out of his skin. Ignis was staring at him, hands folded under his head, stretching the ribbed cotton of his shirt across his chest. Noct thanked the Six for the darkness that kept Ignis from seeing the color rising to his face. One pull and that worn out tank top would rip right down the middle, revealing the broad shoulders as they tapered down to a slim waist and...yeah. Iggy was right. He needed to sleep.

"I can't," he whispered back.

"The headaches are getting worse, aren't they?"

He didn't say anything. It was better than lying to Ignis, and easier than admitting that he, the one they were all fighting to protect, couldn't handle something as small as a headache. He could just hear Gladio yelling at him to buck up and remember that migraines were the least of the trials he would face in the effort to reclaim Insomnia. Worse, he could see Ignis sticking up for him, protecting him like always.

"Come here."

Ignis said it so quietly that Noctis could have believed he imagined it, but there was a hand reaching for him, fingers curling in a beckoning motion. His heart stuttered as he slid closer to Ignis. Rather than turning on to his side, Ignis remained on his back and pulled Noct's head on to his shoulder. Noctis blamed exhaustion for the way he turned his face into Iggy's neck to inhale his scent. He sighed in contentment. With any luck, Ignis wouldn't remember these few waking minutes in which Noctis smothered him with sleepy affection. That would be great.

"Cinnamon rolls," he murmured.

"Pardon?"

He threw a leg over Ignis and grinned. "Smelling you makes me want cinnamon rolls."

"Noct."

"Hm?"

"Go to sleep."

He couldn't have stayed awake much longer anyway. The tension was melting out of his body at last, and Ignis was rubbing the most wonderful circles on his back. His rest was painless and peaceful. He didn't awake in the dark with the visions still flashing behind his eyes, like retina burn. He didn't even think he dreamed. The only thing he knew was sleep and the distant sound of his advisor's heartbeat, reminding him that Ignis had him, and he was safe.

((()))

Morning came too soon. He stretched, expecting to be alone in the tent as he was always the last to rise, but this was not the case. There was still a warm person next to him. He opened his eyes. Ignis was sound asleep, one half of his face covered by hair that wasn't held up by product. Noct's mouth went dry. They were both on their sides facing each other and so close that Noctis could feel every exhalation warm his skin. He gave way to impulse, reaching out to stroke those high cheekbones with his thumb. His heart did a weird sort of flip-flop. Ignis was always pristine and put together by the time Noct woke up, but now he was nothing of the sort.

Godsdamn, he was beautiful.

"Morning," Ignis said, voice thick with sleep.

Noctis jerked his hand back. "Hey."

Ignis caught his retreating hand by the wrist, his grasp firm but gentle. "You're up early."

"Actually, you're up late. Prompto and Gladio are already gone somewhere."

Iggy's eyes opened in surprise at this. Only one was visible and Noct couldn't resist the urge to brush away the hair blocking the other. Ignis' hair was soft and warm. Now both emerald green eyes stared back at him, close enough for Noct to see the streaks of gold in them. He noticed Ignis was still holding his wrist. Though his advisor's body was the most relaxed Noct had ever seen it, there was a quiet tension between them.

"What's up?" he asked when he couldn't stand that forlorn stare any longer.

"I owe you an apology."

"For what?"

Ignis let go of his wrist. "Our relationship has been growing more informal lately, and it seems to have been making you feel uncomfortable. Forgive me."

Noctis hoped Ignis didn't take his silence as confirmation of these fears, but he couldn't talk and fathom his advisor's stupidity at the same time. All the awkward moments, the hesitant touches, Ignis had chalked up to him being uncomfortable? Because reasons, that's why. He didn't remember taking Ignis' face in his hands. If he could recall that, he might have been able to pinpoint when he decided, with finality, to commit friendship suicide. All he knew was that one moment Ignis was watching him with concern and the next his eyes closed instinctively. They closed because Noct kissed him.

He had barely tasted Ignis before he was pulling away. His heart raced not with anxiety at first but with overwhelming joy, a sense of completion. Then reality caught up with him. Ignis was slow to open his eyes and when he did, there were too many emotions in them for Noctis to determine how screwed he was. He swallowed around the lump in his throat. Explanations bubbled up in his throat, each one sounding worse than the last.

"Highness..."

Ignis' voice was soft and almost reverent. He gave Noct the slightest push on to his back and leaned over him, chest rising and falling much faster than it had been when he woke up. Indecision raged on his face. Noctis couldn't stand that look of conflict for long. He pulled Ignis down to him and kissed him deeply, hoping for all the world he wouldn't be pushed away, that this dream wouldn't come to a grinding halt. Ignis opened his mouth and fantasy converged with reality. He supported himself on one elbow, his other hand framing the side of Noct's face with such tenderness that Noct's chest ached.

He didn't know when it started. Maybe it was as long ago as the first time Ignis grasped his hand, helping him out of his bedroom window when they would sneak out of the palace. Maybe it was when the car broke down. He wasn't sure, but there seemed to be a lifetime of desire unleashed into their kiss. Soft touches became more desperate. The hand he rested on his advisor's chest clenched into his shirt, Ignis' hand on the side of his face wove into his hair. They broke apart for air and leant their foreheads together.

"Ignis," he breathed, unsure what he was asking with that single word.

His advisor didn't seem to know, either, but in a gravelly voice he answered, "Noct."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Suddenly Reno. Also, everybody is jealous and nothing hurts.**

 **Warnings: Light (like, feather light) sexy times.**

* * *

Noctis ran a finger around the rim of his glass. It was empty and he wasn't sure if he wanted more. On one hand alcohol seemed to make his situation easier, on the other it made his lips a little too loose. He stared down into the glass as if the answers to life's problems would materialize in the bottom. The barkeep came and drowned that possibility with another double shot. Gladio was putting these things back like water, even though they tasted awful and burned going down. Noctis took a drink and grimaced, wishing he had chickened out like Prompto and got one of those girly mixed drinks. The liquor felt hot in his stomach.

He looked over at Ignis where he was playing a round of darts against another one of the bar's patrons. The man was tall, with a dark, bald head. He must have already been hitting the alcohol hard to be wearing sunglasses inside. Noctis only spared him a brief glance before he gave his attention back to Ignis. Even in his dive bar he managed to look dead classy, all perfect posture and prettiness.

Ugh. Prettiness. The drink was getting to him.

"You're about the most depressed guy I've ever seen."

Noctis looked over at the man next to him. How long had he been there? "Er...sorry."

"I wouldn't be that bent out of shape if I was taking that bed to every night," the guy said, inclining his head toward Ignis.

Noctis gaped at him. He didn't look much older than him, but he also didn't look like anyone Noct had crossed paths with in his travels yet. He was dressed in a black suit and he had goggles pushed into his bright red hair. When he turned his head, Noct saw a long ponytail against his back.

"What makes you think there's anything going on between us?" Noctis asked.

The stranger turned stormy blue eyes toward him. They were framed by thin, red tattoos just above his cheekbones. "Because there are two holes burned into that poor guy's ass where you've been staring at it for the last ten minutes."

Noctis didn't have anything to say in his defense. He finished his drink and observed the stranger. A few wayward strands of red hair hung over his goggles and his shirt was untucked from his pants, giving the impression that he didn't care about order or that he was coming off a long day. He didn't look local in the slightest.

"I'm Noctis," he offered, grateful for a conversation to distract him from his thoughts.

The stranger raised his chin in greeting. "The name's Reno. Who's the stuffy guy in the glasses?"

Noct snorted. "That's Ignis. I've known him since I was little."

"What about your blond friend down there?"

Noctis followed his gaze to the corner of the bar where Prompto was making animated hand gestures to explain something to Gladio. He looked back to Reno, who was eying the pair of them with interest. Maybe too much interest. "Prompto, and how did you know he was my friend, too?"

"I know everything, I'm just good like that. You think the big guy would be mad if I bought blondie a drink?"

Noctis laughed. Oh, man, Prompto was oblivious that he was being checked out. "Go for it." He just wanted to see his friends' reactions. Reno wasn't hard on the eyes by any stretch, but Prompto was going to freak.

A hand closed around his shoulder and he looked up. Ignis was close enough for the warmth of his chest to warm Noct's back. He spoke to Noctis, but his eyes were locked on Reno. "I'm going to step out for some fresh air, would you care to join me?"

"Sure. Nice meeting you, Reno."

He got up and followed Ignis to the door. When he looked back, the redhead grinned and gave him a thumbs up. Noct raised his eyebrows and Reno answered by making an obscene gesture with his hand and mouth. Noctis rolled his eyes and walked out the door Ignis held open for him, the cool air hitting his face. The drink made him feel warm all over. He leaned against the wall and folded his arms against the night breeze, a little resentful toward it for chasing away his elevated body temperature.

"He seemed friendly," Ignis said, standing in front of him.

Noctis raised one shoulder in a shrug. "He was nice enough, I guess."

Reno might have been friendly, but right then, Ignis got friendlier.

Noct gasped as he was held against the wall and Ignis kissed him. There was no one around but even if there was he didn't think he could have pulled away. He opened his mouth, groaning when he felt his advisor's tongue sliding against his own. Ignis tasted of white liquor and sin. His mouth was demanding, but still slow and purposeful as it moved against Noct's. It was heaven and hell all at the same time. They hadn't talked about their kiss earlier in the week, making Noctis wonder if Ignis had come to regret it, but he could hardly think that now.

His hands clawed at Ignis' neck and shoulders, trying in vain to pull him closer. Ignis answered his attempts by hefting him up and using the weight of his body to hold Noct against the wall. Noctis gripped his advisor's waist with his thighs, gasping when something hard pressed between his legs. He was glad he wasn't the only one affected by this. He didn't even know what this was. One minute Ignis was his cool, collected self, then that mask shattered and the flames he kept so well repressed rose up and consumed them both. Noctis was all too happy to burn with him.

"Ignis," he murmured as soft lips found his neck.

A shudder ran down his advisor's back at the sound of his name. He sucked the side of Noct's neck gently, just enough to pleasure him without leaving a mark. Noctis tried to tell his lower body to calm down but just call him the crowned prince of hormones because his efforts were pointless. Having Ignis take control of him like this had him throbbing in his pants.

He tightened his hold on Ignis' waist and heard his advisor muffle a strangled moan into his neck. And Bahamut strike him with a thousand swords if that wasn't the sexiest thing he'd ever heard. The support of the wall disappeared from his back and he found himself being removed from his position of clinging to his advisor. Ignis sat him gently on his feet and took a step back. Noctis blinked, his arms feeling empty with Ignis gone from them. The cool air seemed much colder when it reached his flushed body.

Ignis cleared his throat as he regained his composure, but there was still color in his cheeks. "I'm sorry, Highness."

"Why?" Noct asked, breathless.

"I saw you laughing with that man in there and became...jealous. Forgive me."

Noct chuckled and pulled Ignis to him by the shirt. "You gotta stop apologizing for everything, Iggy. Whatever happened, I wasn't complaining."

Ignis leaned his forehead against the prince's, tracing Noct's cheekbones with his thumbs. "It is still surreal, to think that you would want to be mine. It's more than I ever could have hoped for and I suppose I'm paranoid about anything that may threaten that."

He didn't know what to say. Even bathed in the dingy yellow light from the streetlight, Ignis was gorgeous. Their gritty surroundings reminded Noctis that this wasn't a dream but he would be damned if those words didn't almost have him fooled. He just couldn't process them. Was Ignis truly happy that he, the selfish prince who could barely tie his own shoes, wanted him? How could he even see them as being on the same level?

"So, what happened the other morning was okay?" Noctis ventured.

Ignis lowered himself to one knee and took the prince's hand, staring up at him. "I have tried my best not to allow my feelings for you to conflict with my duties, but I never thought you could share them."

An uncomfortable mix of emotions were trying to close Noct's throat. He was touched, overjoyed, and somehow angry. The sight of Ignis, in all his dignity and elegance, kneeling on the filthy sidewalk before him turned his stomach. He sunk to his knees and took his advisor's face in his hands. Ignis' eyes widened slightly at the sight of the crowned prince on the ground with him.

"I only want your feelings if you have them for me as a person, Iggy, not just as a prince. You kneel before me like I'm some kind of god but I don't deserve that...I don't even want it. I just want you, if you'll have me."

"Noctis," Ignis said, holding the world in his mouth like something fragile, invaluable, and the prince had his answer.

Noctis pulled his advisor to his feet and kissed him. There was a quiet hunger in their embrace, in the way their hands clutched each other and their tongues danced. It took all of Noct's willpower not to take off running through every door that had just been opened for them. He forced himself to keep his hands above Ignis' belt, both because they were in public and because Ignis meant far more to him than that. It was a good thing, too, since the door right next to them opened a moment later.

Reno walked out with the bald man that had been playing darts with Ignis. The redhead snickered at the entangled pair with a look of "I told you so." There was a napkin tucked into his jacket pocket, and Noctis could swear he saw a little bit of Prompto's handwriting peeking out.

A thunderous sound came from overhead and Reno looked up. Heavy wind sent his hair into even further disarray, and as Noctis followed his gaze upward, he saw spinning rotors come into view. Ignis was also studying the old-fashioned aircraft with fascination. A rope ladder came down, and Reno grinned.

"If you gentleman will excuse me, my ride's here," he said, jumping on to the ladder. He swung back, kicking his partner in the face in the process. He shouted to be heard over the helicopter. "Tell Prompto he better not forget this beautiful face."

Noctis laughed and watched them go. He was still leaning against Ignis with no intentions of moving until he heard the door again. This time it was Gladio and Prompto, and Noct had taken a step away from his advisor before they saw him. Their moods were as different as the moon and sun. Gladio looked even more grumpy than usual, where Prompto was chattering about all the crazy stories Reno had told him. Apparently he had also shown Prompto the fine art of billiards. Noct imagined the red head aligning their bodies as he showed Prompto the correct stance, reaching around to move his hands on the cue. A lightbulb came on in the back of his head as he drew a line between that image and the look on Gladio's face. It was almost like Ignis earlier…

Nah. No way.


End file.
